Chinese New Year Parades Locations Locator Map and Directory

Chinese New Year, also known as "Spring Festival" and "Lunar New Year" in many parts of the world, the the most important traditional Chinese holiday. It marks the end of winter and the beginning of spring, occuring on the first day of the first month of the tradition Chinese Calendar (January 23rd in 2012). The Chinese New Years officially ends with the Lantern Festival, the 15th day of the caldenar.

The Chinese New Year is celebrated in all countries with significant Chinese populations, including Asian countries such as China, Hong Kong, Indononesia, Macau, Singapore, Philippines, Taiwan and Thailand, as well as western countries such the UK, Canada, and the USA. Due to the large number of Chinatowns in the USA and Canada, there are plenty of Chinese New Year celebrations in late January and early February. This map shows Chinese New Year Parades, the majority of which occur in Chinatowns. Although the parade isn't a standard form of celebration in China, it's become the de facto way to mark Chinese New Years in the USA. The western tradition likely stems from the original San Francisco Chinatown parade in the 1860s, during the Gold Rush. The San Francisco Chinese Neew Years Parade (today known as the Southwest Airlines Chinese New Year Parade of San Francisco) is the largest of its kind in the Western hemisphere. Other cities with large Chinese New Years parades include New York City, Los Angeles, Toronto, and Vancouver.